Mabel Lake Provincial Park

Attention Visitors – Important Notice!

June 9, 2017: Boat launches

BC Parks boat launches currently remain open, with signage posted requesting that boaters not steer too close to shore which could create wakes that may impact the shoreline and also to be aware of debris and other hazards in the lake.

BC Parks continues to monitor the situation. Public safety will guide any potential decision to close boat launches.

First-come, First-served campsite policy at Mabel Lake Park:
Mabel Lake Provincial Park is one of the Okanagan’s most popular destination campgrounds. During the summer months the campground is most often full to capacity, occupied by reservations and on a first come, first served basis.

In order to accommodate guests who arrive to find the campground full, or who would like to overstay their reservation an overflow area has been designated in an open field close to the boat launch. When an overnight guest arrives at the park to find the “campground full” sign posted, we request that they proceed to the overflow area and register their name in the queue on the overflow camping list. Guests may then assemble their camp in the overflow area in an orderly fashion. As guests vacate individual sites in the main campground the open spots will be filled in the priority of the overflow list, by guests in the overflow or reservation area. The campground host will hold a meeting each morning in the overflow area to inform guests of which sites will be available that day, and allow priority access to those sites based on the overflow camping list.

Only guests camping, and registered in the overflow area will be prioritized for placement into the main campground sites. If a guest is not camping in the overflow or reservation areas they cannot register for placement into the main campground.

If you have any further questions on how the first come, first served system works please do not hesitate to ask any park staff, or email Kaloya Contracting at info@campokanagan.com.

About This Park

Well off the beaten track, nestled in a beautiful mountain setting are
the quieter, sandy beaches of Mabel Lake Provincial Park.

Lush forests
offer a pleasant retreat from the more crowded urban centres. The
park’s sandy shoreline is backed by a cool forest of hemlock, red
cedar and birch, in sharp contrast to the drier ponderosa pine/Douglas-fir
forests to the west. Squirrels often visit the campsites and painted
turtles can be seen at Taylor Creek. Deer, black bear and even moose
can be seen occasionally as well as a variety of birdlife and water
fowl.

Mabel Lake is a fisherman’s destination park as several local
fishing derbies are held in the park each year. It is not uncommon
to find a handful of fisherman enjoying the peaceful spring months,
fishing off the beach. Opportunities for rainbow trout are
available here year round.

Temperatures are warm in the summer but rarely extreme, making this a great campsite for those who prefer a cooler locale than the Okanagan Valley. The natural setting and access to a 35 km long lake make this a popular destination for all ages.

Location and Maps

Take Hwy 6 east from Vernon to Lumby. Follow signs in Lumby turning north onto Mabel Lake Road that follow the Shuswap River for 36 kilometres on paved road through a picturesque landscape of farmland and ranches and 1 kilometre of gravel road to Mabel Lake and the campground. The total distance from Vernon is 60 kilometres.

Maps and Brochures

Any maps listed are for information only – they may not represent legal boundaries and should not be used for navigation.

Nature and Culture

History: Mabel Lake Provincial Park was established in 1972. The lake was named after Mabel Charles, daughter of a Hudson’s Bay Company manager during the late nineteenth century.

Conservation: The area’s climate and landscapes mark the dramatic transition from the Okanagan Basin to the Quesnel/Shuswap Highlands. To the west, the slopes of the Thompson Plateau are covered in Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir, while on the east side of Mabel Lake the wetter and steeper slopes of the Shuswap Highlands grade into the Monashee Mountains. For visitors accustomed to the dry Okanagan forests, the cedar and hemlock of Mabel Lake clearly indicate the greater rainfall in this valley.

Wildlife: Squirrels often visit the campsites and painted turtles can be seen at Taylor Creek. Deer, black bears
and moose can be seen occasionally as well as a variety of birdlife and water fowl.

Management Planning

There is currently no approved valid management plan for this area. Management plans are prepared as soon as practicable, subject to available resources and the ability of key planning partners to participate.

Activities Available at this Park

Canoeing

There are paddling, canoeing and kayaking opportunities at this park. This is a fairly large lake (35 km long) and subject to sudden weather changes. Paddle near shore and explore the extensive shoreline if the weather is poor. The lake is also popular with motor boats.

Cycling

Bicycles must keep to roadways. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.

Fishing

Hiking

The short, 1 km “Changing Rainforest” self-guided interpretive trail winds through the shaded forest carpeted in moss that is found between the campsites and the main road. It is a gentle hike taking visitors through the maturing second growth rainforest of western red cedar, hemlock and some Douglas fir. The hike takes 30 minutes.

Pets on Leash

There is a designated beach area for dogs between the boat launch and the swimming area. In all other areas of the park, pets/domestic animals must be on a leash at all times. Please remember you are responsible for their behavior and must dispose of their excrement. Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential for problems with bears.

Swimming

Mabel Lake is a great spot for swimming. A very large fine sand beach provides the perfect place to warm up and dry off or just relax in the sun. The beach is separated from the lawns of the day-use area by cottonwood trees and is easily accessed from both the day-use parking lot and the Trinity Campground. Another smaller beach is found next to the Monashee Campground. The sand is more coarse but still a great spot for swimming. Both areas are marked with buoys but there are no lifeguards on duty at provincial parks.

Waterskiing

Mabel Lake is a good spot for waterskiing, though not a destination. The boat launch facilities are sufficient for a variety of boats.

Wildlife Viewing

There is an abundance
of wildlife in the park that makes for good wildlife viewing, especially
in the spring and fall.

Facilities Available at this Park

Boat Launch

There is a double wide concrete boat launch that slopes gently into the lake located at the southern boundary of the park beside the Mabel Lake Marina. There is a large 60 square metre wooden dock with rubber bumpers and pilings. Ample parking is available in the gravel parking lot. 10 angled spots for trailers are designated with cement barriers and there are also spaces for trucks with trailers. A turn around area near the launch makes backing up easier.

Campfires

While campfires are allowed and campfire rings are provided at each campsite,
we encourage visitors to conserve wood and protect the environment by
minimizing the use of fire and using camp stoves instead. Firewood can be purchased in the park or you may bring your own wood. Fees for firewood are set locally and may vary from park to park.
Limited burning hours or campfire bans may be implemented. To preserve
vegetation and ground cover, please don’t gather firewood from the area
around your campsite or elsewhere in the park (this is a ticketable offence
under the Park Act). Dead wood is an important habitat element for many
plants and animals and it adds organic matter to the soil.

Drinking Water

There are eight cold water taps in the park, centrally located in each campsite loop as well as at the day-use parking area and in the group site. Water is from a well. Taps are shut off during the off-season.

Group Camping

There is a group camping area at this park. Access is through the Monashee Campground but well separated from it by forest allowing for privacy. Taylor Creek flows beside the area. There is an open gravel parking area next to the 80 square metre wood frame/log picnic shelter. There are picnic tables under the shelter and a large fire pit beside it. There is space in an open grassy area for approximately 10 tents and in an adjacent gravel area surrounded by trees for a further 10 tents or several RVs. The area has two taps and two flush toilets. The group campsites are open from April 7 to October 9. Click here for reservation information.

Youth group camping charges per night are $1/person (6+), with a $50 minimum and $150 maximum.
Read the Youth Group policy about Criteria for Youth Groups.

Regular group camping charges per night are the base rate for the site, which is $80.00/group site/night,
plus $5/adult (16+, minimum charge for 15 adults), plus $1/child (6-15).
Children under 6 are free!

Picnic Areas

This park has a large day-use/picnic area extending from the Trinity Campground to the boat launch. The lawns are level, open and spacious providing the opportunity for a variety of games. There are 10 picnic tables amongst the cottonwood trees that separate the lawn from the beach and provide some shade. The tables have a great view of the lake and the adventure playground. Five more tables with three fire rings are found nearer the boat launch, also surrounded by open, spacious lawn. There is a gravel parking lot with 45 spots. Four pit toilets and a tap are located in a small patch of shrubs just off the parking lot.

Depending on water levels, it is possible to walk the beach the entire length of the park from the boat launch to Taylor Creek. Taylor Creek braids and forms a delta as it enters the lake. Sandy floodplains form underwater as the light sand settles out of the stream in miniature example of the geologic process that formed many parts of the Okanagan Valley.

Pit or Flush Toilets

This park has 14 flush toilets also located in each campsite loop as well as at the day-use parking area and in the group site. There are 2 pit toilets in the day-use area.

Playground

This park has a popular nature inspired deluxe playground. A permanent volleyball net is set up for family fun. The playground is just off the day-use parking lot.

Sani-Station/Dump

A sani-station/dump is located at the entrance to the park across from the service area and information shelter. Drinking water is also available at the sani-station. It is available during the collecting season from April 1- Oct 13.

Sani-station Use Fee: $5.00 per discharge

Vehicle Accessible Camping

This park offers 84 vehicle accessible campsites in two campgrounds:
Trinity and Monashee. Full services are provided from April 7 to October
9. The main gate located at the park entrance is locked between
11pm and 7am during the operating season. The main gate is open to
the boat launch but the road is not maintained during the off season.

The Trinity Campground consists of sites 37-84 arranged in three
loops and includes four double sites. The roads are single lane gravel.
This is the first campground encountered when driving into the camping
area. The loops are set in a thick forest of cedar and hemlock that
provide shade and privacy with a forest floor carpeted in moss. The
loops are separated by open grassy areas and linked by a trail that
runs the length of both campgrounds. The sites consist of medium to
large gravel spurs that have been raised and levelled. The abundance
of trees may make parking difficult for some large RVs.

The Monashee Campground consists of sites 1-36 arranged in two smaller
loops and includes eight double sites. The sites are generally smaller
than those in the Trinity Campground and the forest is thicker allowing
for more privacy. There are more double sites but these are also
smaller and perfect for trucks with campers. The sites are gravel
but not raised.